Freeport will hold graduation despite threats

Wednesday

Freeport High School will hold its graduation ceremony Saturday despite two threats in the last week, including a threat that a bomb would go off during the ceremony.

Freeport High School will hold its graduation ceremony Saturday despite two threats in the last week, including a threat that a bomb would go off during the ceremony.

The ceremony, originally planned for Pretzel Stadium, will be moved to the gym and attendance will be limited. Freeport police will make "multiple" searches of the property with bomb-sniffing dogs, and no one will be allowed inside until the "all-clear" is given, Freeport principal David Thake said in a recorded message Wednesday. Seniors will receive their diplomas in the cafeteria after the ceremony.

On Tuesday, a recorded message to parents from Thake warned that the school had received a "written anonymous threat." Thake said the writing claims a bomb would go off during Saturday’s ceremony at Pretzel Stadium.

The threat is the second incident in less than a week at the school. On Friday, a female student was arrested for allegedly writing threats on a toilet stall in one of the school’s bathrooms.

Peter Flynn, District 145’s superintendent, said the school system was working with the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Department and Illinois State Police. Flynn said he was unaware whether federal officials were participating in the investigation.

"I have not specifically asked who all they’ve involved," he said.

Flynn said that if the district decides to hold its graduation ceremony, it would implement a restrictive protocol.

Parent Jeff Williams praised District 145’s efforts to keep people in the loop.

"It was nice the school made a quick attempt to notify everyone," Williams said.

Seeing his daughter, Kelli, walk across the stage is a hope. Williams said he and his family planned to discuss the situation Tuesday night. The turn of events didn’t necessarily surprise him. Williams said there’s a "higher probability" things like this happen around this time.

Leslie Eiler, a senior who is scheduled to speak at the graduation ceremony, said Tuesday that a cancelation would be "a pretty big deal."

"My friends and I were working on graduation stuff today, so it would be kind of a downer," Eiler said. But she added that safety should be the primary concern.

Irena Tolliver, whose daughter, Veronica, is scheduled to graduate on Saturday, said she felt for all Freeport High School graduates and their families. Tolliver alluded to the possibility of memories lost. "It’s a milestone," she said.

Tolliver believes the situation speaks to a social ill. "It’s a sadness that this is what our community is coming to," she said. "A prank used to be what kids did for fun."

However, telling the difference between a prank and real threat has become increasingly difficult. If it’s indeed a prank, Irena said the perpetrators don’t seem to grasp the consequences.

Freeport Police Deputy Chief Robert Smith concurred.

"I don’t think the young kids understand the gravity of these things," Smith said.

He said the department is investigating the threats and taking them seriously. If the graduation ceremony carries on, Smith said the department would provide additional security, if necessary.

"We’ll do [that] to the limit of our resources," he said.

Parent Linda Werntz hopes her son, Ryan, will be involved in Saturday’s ceremony. Having that opportunity at risk left her dejected.

"I’m naturally very disappointed anyone would make that threat," Werntz said.

Parents, she said, were probably the most upset. Her son was taking it in stride.

"There’s so many of these things. He wasn’t really surprised," she said.

Jason Carson Wilson can be reached at jwilson@journalstandard.com.

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